Part 92
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
conventional short form: Iceland
local long form: Lydveldid Island
local short form: Island
Government type:
constitutional republic
Capital:
name: Reykjavik
geographic coordinates: 64 09 N, 21 57 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland
Independence:
1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 June (1944)
Constitution:
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times
Legal system:
civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Johanna SIGURDARDOTTIR (since 1 February 2009);
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
elections: president, a largely ceremonial post, is elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last held 28 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2012); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually the prime minister
note: the presidential election of 28 June 2008 was never held because Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON had no challengers; he was sworn in on 1 August 2008
2004 election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON elected president; percent of vote - Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON 85.6%, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%;
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 April 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democratic Alliance 29.8%, Independence Party 23.7%, Left-Green Movement 21.7%, Progressive Party 14.8%, Citizens' Movement 7.2%, other 2.8%; seats by party - Social Democratic Alliance 20, Independence Party 16, Left-Green Alliance 14, Progressive Party 9, Citizens' Movement 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)
Political parties and leaders:
Citizens' Movement; Independence Party or IP [Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON, Jr.]; Left-Green Movement or LGM [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Sigmundur David GUNNLAUGSSON; Social Democratic Alliance or SDA [Johanna SIGUROARDOTTIR] (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
People's Voices [Hordur TORFARSON]; New Times; Civic Action Association [Gunnar SIGURDSSON]; The Association of Military Opponents [Stefan PALSSON]
International organization participation:
Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hjalmar W. HANNESSON
chancery: House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW #509, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653
FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Hjalmar HANNESSON
embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
mailing address: US Department of State, 5640 Reykjavik Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-5640
telephone: [354] 562-9100
FAX: [354] 562-9118
Flag description:
blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the colors represent three of the elements that make up the island: red is for the island's volcanic fires, white recalls the snow and ice fields of the island, and blue is for the surrounding ocean
Economy ::Iceland
Economy - overview:
Iceland's Scandinavian-type social-market economy combines a capitalist structure and free-market principles with an extensive welfare system, including generous housing subsidies. Prior to the 2008 crisis, Iceland had achieved high growth, low unemployment, and a remarkably even distribution of income. Government economic priorities have included stabilizing the krona, reducing the current account deficit, containing inflation, restructuring the financial sector, and diversifying the economy. The economy depends heavily on the fishing industry, which provides 40% of export earnings, more than 12% of GDP, and employs 7% of the work force. It remains sensitive to declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, with new developments in software production, biotechnology, and tourism. Abundant geothermal sources have attracted substantial foreign investment in the aluminum and hydropower sectors and boosted economic growth, although the financial crisis has put several investment projects on hold. Much of Iceland's economic growth in recent years came as the result of a boom in domestic demand following the rapid expansion of the country's financial sector. Domestic banks expanded aggressively in foreign markets, and consumers and businesses borrowed heavily in foreign-currency loans, following the privatization of the sector in the early 2000s. Worsening global financial conditions throughout 2008 resulted in a sharp depreciation of the krona vis-a-vis other major currencies. The foreign exposure of Icelandic banks, whose loans and other assets totaled more than 10 times the country's GDP, became unsustainable. Iceland's three largest banks collapsed in late 2008. The country negotiated over $10 billion in loans from the IMF and other countries to stabilize its currency and financial sector, and to guarantee foreign deposits in Icelandic banks. A protracted recession is expected in 2009 and 2010 with GDP likely to contract and unemployment likely to surpass 10%. The collapse of the financial system has led to a major shift in opinion in favor of joining the EU and adopting the euro. Previous opposition to this move stemmed from Icelanders' concern about losing control of their fishing resources. Iceland's coalition government collapsed in January 2009 following protests over growing joblessness and losses to personal savings.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$12.87 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 $12.7 billion (2007 est.)
$12.03 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$16.79 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 169 5.5% (2007 est.)
4.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$42,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $42,100 (2007 est.)
$40,200 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 25.2%
services: 69.8% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
184,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 19%
services: 78% (2007)
Unemployment rate:
1.6% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 1% (2007 est.)
note: this figure climbed to 9.4% as of February 2009
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
25 (2005) country comparison to the world: 130
Investment (gross fixed):
23.9% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Budget:
revenues: $6.657 billion
expenditures: $6.856 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
56.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 35.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176 5.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
22% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 12 15.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 18 19.29% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$6.64 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$15.05 billion (31 December 2006) country comparison to the world: 45 $NA (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$49.67 billion (31 December 2006)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 62 $40.56 billion (31 December 2007)
$36.1 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
potatoes, green vegetables; mutton, dairy products; fish
Industries:
fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production; geothermal power, tourism
Industrial production growth rate:
0% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Electricity - production:
11.71 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Electricity - consumption:
11.22 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Oil - consumption:
19,880 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126
Oil - exports:
2,975 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109
Oil - imports:
17,510 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 117
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 176
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 66
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Current account balance:
-$6.606 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 164 -$3.178 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$5.399 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $4.793 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products, ferrosilicon, diatomite
Exports - partners:
Netherlands 33.8%, UK 11.7%, Germany 11.5%, US 5.8%, Japan 4.9%, Norway 4.1% (2008)
Imports:
$5.699 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 $6.181 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
Norway 10.9%, Germany 10.4%, Sweden 9%, US 8%, Denmark 7.4%, China 6.8%, Netherlands 6%, UK 4.4%, Japan 4% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.5 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 $2.436 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.073 billion (2002) country comparison to the world: 125
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Icelandic kronur (ISK) per US dollar - 85.619 (2008 est.), 63.391 (2007), 70.195 (2006), 62.982 (2005), 70.192 (2004)
Communications ::Iceland
Telephones - main lines in use:
187,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 125
Telephones - mobile cellular:
342,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 166
Telephone system:
general assessment: telecommunications infrastructure is modern and fully digitized, with satellite-earth stations, fiber-optic cables, and an extensive broadband network
domestic: liberalization of the telecommunications sector beginning in the late 1990s has led to increased competition especially in the mobile services segment of the market
international: country code - 354; the CANTAT-3 and FARICE-1 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Canada, the Faroe Islands, UK, Denmark, and Germany; a planned new section of the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable will provide additional connectivity to Canada, US, and Ireland; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM about 70, shortwave 1 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
14 (plus 156 repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
.is
Internet hosts:
272,201 (2009) country comparison to the world: 59
Internet users:
250,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 131
Transportation ::Iceland
Airports:
99 (2009) country comparison to the world: 62
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 93
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 63 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 13,058 km country comparison to the world: 129 paved/oiled gravel: 4,397 km (does not include urban roads)
unpaved: 8,661 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 2 country comparison to the world: 145 by type: passenger/cargo 2
registered in other countries: 37 (Antigua and Barbuda 12, Bahamas 1, Belize 2, Denmark 2, Faroe Islands 1, Gibraltar 1, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 3, Norway 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Reykjavik
Military ::Iceland
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Icelandic National Police (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 74,896 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 62,576
females age 16-49: 61,159 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,369
female: 2,349 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 173
Military - note:
Iceland has no standing military force; under a 1951 bilateral agreement - still valid - its defense was provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik; however, all US military forces in Iceland were withdrawn as of October 2006; although wartime defense of Iceland remains a NATO commitment, in April 2007, Iceland and Norway signed a bilateral agreement providing for Norwegian aerial surveillance and defense of Icelandic airspace (2008)
Transnational Issues ::Iceland
Disputes - international:
Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@India (South Asia)
Introduction ::India
Background:
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated onto the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkic in the 12th were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons testing in 1998 caused Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. Despite impressive gains in economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such as significant overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption.
Geography ::India
Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates:
20 00 N, 77 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 3,287,263 sq km country comparison to the world: 7 land: 2,973,193 sq km
water: 314,070 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-third the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 14,103 km
border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
Coastline:
7,000 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north
Terrain:
upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m
Natural resources:
coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 48.83%
permanent crops: 2.8%
other: 48.37% (2005)
Irrigated land:
558,080 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,907.8 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 645.84 cu km/yr (8%/5%/86%)
per capita: 585 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean trade routes; Kanchenjunga, third tallest mountain in the world, lies on the border with Nepal
People ::India
Population:
1,166,079,217 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Age structure:
0-14 years: 31.1% (male 190,075,426/female 172,799,553)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 381,446,079/female 359,802,209)
65 years and over: 5.3% (male 29,364,920/female 32,591,030) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.3 years
male: 24.9 years
female: 25.8 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.548% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
Birth rate:
21.76 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Death rate:
6.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
Net migration rate:
-0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Urbanization:
urban population: 29% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 30.15 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 73 male: 34.61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.89 years country comparison to the world: 145 male: 67.46 years
female: 72.61 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.72 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 89
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
2.4 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 4
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
310,000 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria
animal contact disease: rabies
water contact disease: leptospirosis
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Indian(s)
adjective: Indian
Ethnic groups:
Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)
Religions:
Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Languages:
Hindi 41%, Bengali 8.1%, Telugu 7.2%, Marathi 7%, Tamil 5.9%, Urdu 5%, Gujarati 4.5%, Kannada 3.7%, Malayalam 3.2%, Oriya 3.2%, Punjabi 2.8%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.2%, other 5.9%
note: English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the most widely spoken language and primary tongue of 41% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 61%
male: 73.4%
female: 47.8% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 10 years
male: 11 years
female: 9 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
3.2% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 140
Government ::India
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of India
conventional short form: India
local long form: Republic of India/Bharatiya Ganarajya
local short form: India/Bharat
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: New Delhi
geographic coordinates: 28 36 N, 77 12 E
time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Puducherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal
Independence:
15 August 1947 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Republic Day, 26 January (1950)
Constitution:
26 January 1950; amended many times
Legal system: